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“Fine,” she conceded. She didn’t want him hiding his feelings, so she wasn’t going to hide hers. “You did hurt me. It wasn’t the first time, and I doubt it will be the last.”
Zach raked a hand over his messy hair, glanced down to his scuffed boots, then back up to meet her gaze. “Hurting you kills me,” he whispered. “That’s the last thing I’d ever want to do. But you’re not the type of woman who gets involved with someone like me, Soph. You’re sweet talking and dinners, I’m rough and one-night stands.”
His raw words washed over her, sending shivers racing through her as she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. Perhaps that was exactly what they were, but who’s to say those worlds couldn’t collide into something glorious?
Sophie didn’t know what to say. Being around Zach had always been a battle of wills, and seeing him so vulnerable wasn’t something she’d had any experience with.
“That’s the main reason I came,” he went on. “I won’t lie and pretend touching you didn’t affect me. Judging from the way you kissed me back, I’d say you were just as affected. But that’s where things have to stop.”
She started to reach for him, but he stepped back. Just like in the tunnels. Sophie closed her eyes and nodded, not accepting defeat but giving him the space he so obviously needed. “Why are you so difficult?”
Lifting her lids to meet his dark-as-night eyes, Sophie didn’t know what to make of his pained expression.
“This isn’t me being difficult. This is me saving both of us from a road that would only lead to destruction.”
“And you’re so certain that anything we would have would be a disaster?”
“You don’t get it.” He shook his head, throwing his arms wide. “I’m doing this for you.”
Sophie pulled her robe tighter and laughed. “Great, now you’re going to fall back on the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ excuse? I took you for someone who could
man up and not rely on lame comments.”
Zach took a menacing step forward. He stood within an inch of her, his warmth spreading through her just as surely as if he was touching her. Those eyes pinned her in place and she gripped the vee of her robe to keep from reaching up and touching that coarse, stubbled jaw so set with determination.
“For the first time in my life, I am manning up.” That growl-like tone did nothing to kill the desire she had for him. “I’m not running, I’m not hiding. I’m here, opening myself to you because I can’t stand you to be hurt. Working on the house together is fine; I actually welcome your input. But I can’t be that man you may think you want. That man doesn’t exist inside of me.”
Now she did reach up, unable to help herself. She wanted him to feel comfort, to know that whatever internal demons he was battling didn’t scare her. More than anything, she wanted him to know he wasn’t alone.
“I’m glad you’re done hiding.” Sophie stroked his jaw, not intimidated when he stilled beneath her touch. “But now you’re lying to yourself. If you think we can work together on this project, spend a great deal of time together, and not be drawn even more strongly to each other, you’re mistaken. We’ve dodged each other for nearly a decade, Zach. That kiss proved we have something.”
He gripped her hand, slowly lowering it from his face. “We have a past and now we have a mutual goal. There is nothing more.”
When he turned to go, Sophie couldn’t help but get in one last word. “You say you came here to apologize and to tell me you’re done running.” When he froze, without turning around, she went on. “You’re still running, Zach. Which proves you came here for one reason. To see me. Because you know just as I do that something beyond our control is happening between us.”
Without another word, without waiting to see if he would even reply, Sophie went back in her house, locked the door, and flicked off the porch light.
Sinking back against the door, she willed her legs to hold her up. Her body trembled at the breakthrough that had just occurred.
Perhaps through all of this heartache, these years of suppressed emotions, there was a light at the end of this dark, lonely tunnel.
Chapter Seven
Zach wanted nothing more than to pound the hell out of something. Unfortunately, he’d done all the demolition on his current home and was now in the rebuilding stage.
He’d driven around for nearly an hour after leaving Sophie’s house. The way she’d called him out on his emotions, the way she’d stood there so strong and vibrant, had nearly brought him to his knees. How was he ever going to make it through the renovations at the Sunset Lake property if she kept battling him? Because Zach was truly afraid he couldn’t stand up to the new, fierce side of Sophie.
As he put his key in the back door, something rustled in the bushes. His first thought was that Ms. Barkley would be standing there when he turned, but as he came back down the steps to see what was causing the rustle, Zach realized it wasn’t his overly deliberate neighbor with her cleavage up to her chin.
Nestled beneath his honeycup shrub was a dog, a very large dog, lying on her side. Zach knew the dog was a female because of the intense way she was breathing and the protruding belly that no doubt held puppies ready to be born . . . in his yard.
Zach muttered a curse. Not that he didn’t love dogs. He actually loved animals, but what did he know about a dog in labor, or puppies? The only dog he’d had growing up was one the Monroes found on the street and brought home one night because it had a broken leg. They’d nursed it back to health and kept the stray for another eight years. No puppies involved, and the dog was a male.
Zach crouched down, squinting to get a better view. His back porch light offered enough of a glow, but the thick shrubbery shaded the dog.
“Hey there,” he said in a soft tone he barely recognized. “It’s okay, girl.”
Was it? Hell, he knew less about labor than he did about puppies. Did he call the vet? Call an animal shelter? Was she delivering the pups now? Good grief, why his yard? What if he did something wrong and the pups got hurt or the mom died or . . .
